Which state do I file taxes?

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
June 3, 2019
1 reply
12 views

I worked on a cruise ship for 4 months in the year 2016 and put CT as my address on my tax forms since at the time I was a grad student in CT. I am actually from Florida and have a drivers license there. Do I pay CT or FL taxes?

DanielV01

Level 15

It depends. One thing is certain: you won't pay Florida tax because Florida does not have a state tax. The question is whether you are a Florida or a Connecticut resident. Being away at school is considered a temporary absence. If your sole purpose for being in Connecticut is for school, and you intend to return to Florida once you finish school, you are in fact a Florida resident. Your cruise-ship income would not be taxable in Connecticut (but other income earned in Connecticut would be taxed as nonresident income). If you had Connecticut taxes taken out, you would need to file a Connecticut return to have these taxes returned to you. (Keep in mind that Connecticut may ask for proof that you are not a Connecticut resident). You will allocate, or designate the income as belonging to Florida and not Connecticut. Here is an FAQ about this: https://ttlc.intuit.com/replies/4777389

However, if in prior years you have filed Connecticut resident returns, you may have established residency in Connecticut. If this is the case, you will file a Connecticut resident return and the cruise ship income will be taxed in Connecticut.

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